jdepew@miningjournal.net

MARQUETTE — It was recently announced that Outlanders owner Anne Klingler’s Thai basil bowl recipe is the North Central Regional Winner in the General Mills 2018 Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest.

“We’re so excited and just tickled,” Klingler said on behalf of the Outlanders crew. Klingler, who has a bachelor’s degree in restaurant and institutional management from Northern Michigan University, is one of five winners nationwide.

Judges evaluated and scored recipes by taste, appearance, creativity and foodservice viability, according to the General Mills website.

Klingler created the popular Thai basil bowl by combining creamy Mountain High original whole milk yogurt with coconut milk, ginger, basil and cilantro to flavor the distinctive rice, chicken and veggie bowl.

As the North Central Regional Recipe winner, Klingler will receive $5,000 as well as $1,000 to share with a local nonprofit. She has chosen Teaching Family Homes, a private, nonprofit child welfare agency that provides a variety of services for children and families in need.

Outlanders has donated a portion of its December sales and hosted a guest chef who created special menus with all proceeds going to the organization for the last five years.

From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Outlanders invites everyone to help them simultaneously celebrate winning the contest and the one-year anniversary of opening their Washington Street location. General Mills representatives will present the check to Klingler at Outlanders, which is located at 1014 W. Washington St., Marquette, and in turn, Klingler will present a check to Teaching Family Homes staff.

“We’ll have samples of our Thai basil bowl recipe for everyone to try and I just hope we can get a lot of people here to see what we’re all about,” Klingler said. “We’re so excited, we can hardly stand it.”

Later this month, one regional winner will be awarded the grand prize and will receive an additional $25,000 cash and $5,000 donation by General Mills that will go toward a mutually agreed upon charity.

The winner will also receive a “Hometown Celebration Event” that will take place at the winner’s restaurant or food truck, a publicity package capped at $36,500 and receive a trip for two to the 2018 Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival from Oct. 11-14. The trip includes round-trip coach air transportation for the winner and guest from the nearest major airport, hotel accommodations consisting of one double occupancy room for three nights, ground transportation while in New York, entry to the festival, dinner and events at the festival as determined by General Mills — plus, $500 cash spending money.

Although Klingler said she’s looking forward to finding out who the grand winner is, “we already feel like winners.”

Outlanders specializes in fresh, made-from-scratch meals and provides kid-friendly surroundings, which include a cabinet of games and comfortable seating. Family-style meals have ample servings for four to six hungry people, with best-sellers including three-cheese and spinach shells, wet burritos and Chicago dogs.

“After my children had grown, I knew I had the time and the drive to open a restaurant to help busy working families like mine,” Klingler said in a press release. “It’s our passion to make delicious, wholesome food for families in the community. Whether customers dine in or take out, we’re here to bring folks together to slow down and enjoy a meal with family and friends.”

For more information about the General Mills contest and the 2018 winners, visit https://www.generalmillscf.com.

Jaymie Depew can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206. Her email address is jdepew@miningjournal.net.